Improvement in bee-hives



3 Sheets-Shear; I." N. M. BARNES.

Bee-Hive.

Patented June-25. I878.

lnmmll ATTORNEYS.

WiTNESSES firms, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER WASHINGTON. D10,

' 's Sheets-Sheet 2' N. M. BARNES. Bee-Hive.

No. 205,339. Patented .lun 25, 1878.

wnNEssE ATTORNEYS N-PETERS. PHOTO-LITHDGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. u. C.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

N. M. BARNES.

Bee-Hive.

No. 205,339. Patented M925, 1878.

-' WITNES ES INVENTOR.

. I ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON n C other side, Gr, is hung tothe front 0 by suit- NATHAN M. BARNES, or

I UNITED 'STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

LA FAYETTE, INDIANA. I

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,339,'dated June 25,1878 application filed To all whom it may concern:

also the case with the edges against which the Be it known that I,NATHAN M. BARNES, of cap closes, or parts of the cap itself.

La Fayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and valuable Improvement in Bee-Hives; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters and figures .of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a perspective view of mybee-hive. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of my bee-hive open. Figs. 4 and 5 are views showingrounded corners. Fig. 6 is alongitudinal vertical central sectionthereof.

My invention relates to bee-hives; and it consists in the constructionand combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The annexed drawing, to which reference is made, fully illustrates myinvention.

A represents the bottom of the hive, made slightly inclined forward byits rear end being supported on a cleat, B. The front 0 and one side, E,are secured on the bottom A. The

able hinges, and the upper part D of the back is nailed to this side G,and the honey-board H, which forms the bottom of the top box. isfastened to the side G and back section B, forming, when complete, withthe other side and front, the complete upper story. D is the back door,connected by hinges to the side E, thus completing the two chambers ofthe hive.

The hive thus constructed, it will be seen, is opened in the side andback, whereby the bee'keeper avoids disturbing the bees which are goingin and out, as would be the case with hives opening in front. It alsoenables the operator to readily get at the frames to remove or replacethem.

0 represents the roof or cap of the hive, hinged to the front G, asshown. All the hinged parts of the hive are, when closed, fastened byhooks or other similar means. The edges to which the doors, and also theedges upon which the doors and top section of back,

close are rounded, as shown at a. This is Where thousands of bees areina hive together, they habitually make room for each other in passingand repassing; hence it is natural for them to give Way to pressure, sothat in closing the hive, as, the rounded edge closes gradually uponthem, they give way, and the hive is closed without injuring a singlebee, whereas if it were a square corner, or even a bevel, they would beliable to be caught, not having time to make room.

A space, as shown at b, is left between the edges of the honey-board H,where it closes I with the front 0 and sidexE, which space affords apassage for the bees'from the broodchamber to the upper or honeychamber, and also prevents the killing of bees in closing the hive.

The hive is provided with the usual entrance d at the bottom, and alsowith a second entrance, d, about an inch below the bottom or honey-boardH of the upper box, which, in a large colony, is very useful, as thebees can enter at the top and go down as well as up,

and into the top box. It is placed below the bottom H of the top box,because the bees are then clustered, and always handy to prevent theentrance of moth or robbers, While if it was in the top boX and abovethe middle board H, it would not be used until the lower story had beenfilled, and then the moth would have the top box filled with theirbrood, thus giving them a foothold in the colony.

I I represent the comb-frames, which are provided at the front, at topand bottom, with wires h h, which run somewhat across. the corners, andhave their inner ends fastened in the sides of the top and bottom barsof the frames, and the wires are held to the front bars of the frames bystaples e e. The outer or front ends of the wires form books 11 i, whichare inserted in perforated plates ff, fastened to the inner side of thefront 0. These wires thus support the frames, and alsoact as braces forstrengthening them. They form hinges on which the frames can be swungapart when the hive is opened. The frames are held together by means ofa wire latch or arm, k, at the rear, as shown.

J J represent the frames in the upper or honey box, and these frames arehung upon. wires on m, which leave no corners for moths to harbor in, asa wooden ledge would do, and by their small surface call for less laborfrom the bees in waxing it over than if it were a wooden strip. Theframes I and J, or any of them, are provided with interior frames orsections L, which may be made of pastcboard or thin wood shavings orveneers, or other suitable light material that can be readily bent intoshape. The size of these sections maybe regulated so as to contain oneor more pounds of honey, at pleasure of the operator. These sectionsbeing made of paper or thin wood veneers are very light, and theirweight will not be considered in selling the honey.

By uniting the edges of the piece forming the section at any point onthe top side the bees wax it fast at beginning of work, thus obviatingthe necessity of previously fastening the ends together.

On the outside of each side of the hive is a ventilating-shaft, It, openat both ends, and provided at the lower end with a slide or valve, P,for closing the same. Near the bottom of each shaft Bis an opening, a,into the hive, which opening is covered either on the inside or outsidewith perforated sheet metal or wiregauze. By this means directventilation can be obtained for summer by opening the bottom valves P.In winter the hive may be covered nearly up to the top with chaff orsawdust to preserve thebees from freezing, and,

' the bottom of the ventilating columns or shafts being shut, the airenters the top of the column and is slightly warmed in its passagedownward, so as not to strike the bees cold.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The body of the hive composed of the bottom A, with front 0 and sideE secured thereto, the side G hinged to the front and provided with theback section D and honeyboard H, and the'back door D hinged to the sideE, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The honey-board H, secured to the hinged side G and back section D,and forming, when the hive is closed, bee-spaces b along the oppositetwo edges, as herein set forth.

3. In a bee-hive, the rounded edges to at the joints where the hingedparts are closed, for the purposes set forth.

4. In a bee-hive, one or more outside ventilating-shafts communicatingnear the bottom with the interior of the hive, and provided at the lowerend with a slide or valve, substantially as and for the purposessetforth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

NATHAN MARCUS BARNES.

Witnesses:

CHARLES GROENENDYKE, LA FRANK R. TEAD.

. t l b

